The Miser's Daughter
by CrimsonShadowRogue
Summary: In an AU of Naruto, where the Akatsuki is a mafia crew, a newcomer arrives. She's the daughter of Kakuzu, but he never knew he had a daughter recently. And the others DEFINITELY don't know about her. Now, Kakuzu must learn to be a father, while still be at the top of his game. At the same time, she must keep a secret from them that if revealed could lead to their ultimate demise.
1. Prolouge

The Miser's Daughter

DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own the base, I only used it to make it look like the right characters. If this is your base, give me a shout out and I will give you credit. I also do NOT own Naruto or anything! I own the storyline and my OC Koratani. This is a Father Daughter story with some romance. Idk how long the story will be but it will have conflicts, climax and ending. This may end up being a AkatsukiXKoratani with the exception of Konan (who will appear later on) and her father of course. I'm only into incest if it's Hetalia, because they're personified countries. Otherwise it's a little gross to me, but hey my oppinion. Please comment and whatevs, but do not leave bad and degrading comments or I will delete them. If I make a mistake however please notify and forgive me. I have tried making Akatsuki stories for myself but they never got far. So this would be the first one that I ever actually got into. Um...what else? Uh...idk, anyways please enjoy.

OH! Now I remember what I was going to add in. When I did the base of Koratani and Kakuzu, I made a poem with it. Whether it's OOC or not, I don't care cus it's just a poem, but it's my poem.

Now, let me give a little explanation. It was father's day yesterday, I've been rping Akatsuki with Sinful, and during a certain part in beginning I got all father-daughtery feeling so I wanted to write this story, add to the base and write this poem. I'm a sap, live with it. lol.

Never thought I could have,

Something as beautiful as this,

Never thought I could hold,

A piece of magic in my arms,

Never thought the world,

Would let me have a miracle,

That I could have for permanent,

Never thought I could find,

A song that I could sing to,

Never thought I could be,

The man I always wanted to be,

A father to you,

Never thought I could be,

A hero to be looked up too,

A father to guide you,

Never thought I could cry,

Over the warmth of a child,

Forever in her daddy's arms,

Never thought I could dance away,

To music that doesn't suit me,

Never thought I could be king,

And have a little princess,

Never thought I could spend money,

Until I met you,

Never thought a father's love,

Could be so tight and binding,

Until I met you,

Never thought I could love,

But I will always love you.

Chapter 1


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1  
Kakuzu watched the door to the Akatsuki's home closely, he was anxious and it showed. His hands were clammy and he twitched nervously. Deidara looked at him and asked, "What's the matter old man?"  
Kakuzu almost jumped but looked at Deidara, "Nothing…it's nothing. Go on." But that's when the doorbell rang and Kakuzu nearly jumped and ran to the door but hesitated to open it. He regained his composure and opened the door to a young girl about fifteen who smiled nervously at him. She had dark auburn hair and grey eyes, "Hey…Dad."  
Other members gathered quickly at the word. Sasori coughed up his milk a bit and sputtered, "Dad? Did she just say Dad?"  
Kakuzu turned to the group after closing the door, and said, "Yes, this is my daughter, and she's a new member of the Akatsuki."  
"It's true, as unbelievable as it is." Pein replied.  
Kakuzu glared at him for a moment and said, "Her name is Koratani…I didn't know about her either until a week ago when she sent me a letter telling me she was coming to visit me." Koratani gave him a quick look but decided not to say anything.  
Koratani smiled lightly and waved, "Hi, nice to meet everyone."  
"Koratani, this is part of my group, Pein, Deidara, Sasori. But some of the others aren't here right now, the other five are…out doing things."  
"That's fine. Um…where will I be staying Dad?"  
"I'll show you." He said and left with Koratani to a room in another part of the house. He opened the door to a simple room with the essentials, she smiled and turned to him and had to hold back a tear. He pulled her into his arms, "Go ahead, no one will hear you but me, don't be ashamed." With that she clutched onto him, and cried into her father. He was a perfect stranger, but even though she had never met him before, he was familiar. She knew his face based on the pictures her mother had had of him. But that's all she really knew.  
It was all Kakuzu could do to not cry. He had always wanted a child, but he was a dangerous man in a dangerous world. So he had tried to never impregnate anyone woman he laid with. But the woman he did so with…she could've been his exception, but he had to leave to keep her safe. When he got the letter a week ago, a part of him didn't want to believe Akiko was dead, too much pain, nor did he want to believe he had a daughter, it was too much to hope for. But nonetheless he was overwhelmed with joy and bitter sorrow. He'd be gaining something he wanted more than money, but at the cost of losing someone he cared about.  
But in this world, you had to take what you could get. So he held onto Koratani with everything he had. He would not lose another person he would grow to care about in this world. He didn't love her as a person yet, but he already loved her as his daughter. And he hoped to be a good father to her; after all, he had to practically take care of a bunch of guys several decades younger than him, so how difficult could one girl be?  
She finally pulled back and wiped away her tears with a sleeve and blew her nose in a tissue, and tossed it in a garbage can. "I miss her…it's so weird being somewhere without her, and with someone I only know from pictures and stories."  
"It'll be okay. The Akatuski is my family, as annoying as they are, at least I can be myself around them."  
Koratani nodded, "Thanks Dad."  
He nodded and got up, "I'll leave you to collect your thoughts, get everything set up here and so you might be able to get some sleep. You had a long trip."  
She nodded, and left, closing the door behind him.  
Kakuzu went downstairs and saw Tobi jumping up and down with Zetsu by his side. "I heard we have a visitor?" The usually silent man asked.  
Kakuzu nodded, "Yes."  
Tobi was practically bouncing off the walls, "When do we get to meet her!?" He exclaimed.  
"At dinner, and you are not to hound her with questions, she's tired and has had a long trip."  
"Why such deep concern?" Zetsu asked.  
Kakuzu raised his eyebrow, "Didn't the others tell you?"  
"No." Zetsu replied.  
Kakuzu then saw the artists and Pein smirking in the background, realizing this was about shock value and reaction, Kakuzu almost laughed, "She's my daughter."  
Zetsu stared at him, and Tobi choked on nothing. Zetsu cleared his throat and asked, "Excuse me, say that again I don't think I heard you correctly, did you say daughter?"  
The artists laughed in the background and took off.  
"You heard me correctly, Koratani, is my daughter."  
"I didn't know the stork came to visit you! How old is she!?" Tobi exclaimed.  
"She's fifteen, and you didn't know, because I didn't know till a week ago."  
"Well that explains it then." Zetsu said.  
"A daughter huh, will you be able to handle being a father?" Itachi said entering from another room, "Deidara and Sasori just gave me and Kisame the news."  
"Yeah, didn't know you could reproduce." Kisame grinned with a mischievous smile.  
Tobi looked at Kisame, "Reproduce? What do you mean by that?"  
Zetsu then interrupted, "Come on Tobi, let's go watch a movie."  
"Well Koratani's living proof that I can. Why does everyone keep thinking I'm not able to…" He made sure Tobi was out of earshot first before saying, "make a child?"  
"You're not exactly the fatherly type." Sasori said with a grin.  
"Well I am her father, and that's all that needs to be said." Kakuzu insisted.  
Deidara snickered, "Just wait till Hidan finds out, he's going to flip."  
Kakuzu sighed, "Yes, I'm sure he will."


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2  
"And to answer your question Itachi, I don't know, but I hope I can. After dealing with you idiots for so long, how hard can it be?" Kakuzu said nonchalantly.  
Itachi chuckled, "You've got a lot of catching up to do. Even I have experience with children."  
Kakuzu rolled his eyes, "Whatever Mr. Perfect." Then asked, "Who's turn is it for making dinner?"  
"Mine." Deidara said with an impish grin.  
Everyone grimaced as he had a tendency of getting distracted or blowing the kitchen up.  
"I'll cook tonight; I don't want her getting food poisoning or puking on the first day." Kakuzu grumbled, "But that means you'll be taking my turn."  
Deidara pouted, since he liked cooking, but nodded. Even he had to admit that despite liking to cook, his meals weren't exactly 5 star restaurant material…okay, even the rats would turn up their noses to his meals.  
Kakuzu left but not without a final warning to leave his daughter alone.  
So the boys gathered in the living room, and Kisame asked, "So is she hot?"  
Sasori grinned and spoke softly so Kakuzu wouldn't hear, "For a fifteen year old? Smoking! She's a little small in the chest, but I'm sure she'll fill out before too long."  
Itachi rolled his eyes, "Does she seem nice?"  
Deidara shrugged, "She's in the 'Be Polite' stage, we won't see her true colors for a while you know."  
Itachi nodded, "Right, forgot about that. It's been a while since I had to go through that first stage…How long does that take again?"  
"It varies between three days to a month, depending on the occupants of the home and how soon they feel at home." Zetsu said having finished the show he and Tobi were watching. Pein sighed, "Then we should all behave as well."  
Itachi scoffed lightly, "Yes, and how exactly are we going to get Hidan to do the same?"  
"Bake him a cake and say 'please'?" Tobi said like the naïve child-like person he was.  
The others gave a bitter chuckle, "Oh that would work definitely." Deidara said rolling his eyes. "Where is that bastard anyways?" He asked.  
"I sent him shopping earlier today, so he should be back soon…and cursing." Pein said lightly, knowing the nature of the silver haired, severely foul mouthed member of the Akatsuki.  
"Ooh, Hidan cursing around her, just wait till Kakuzu gets a hold of him." Sasori said with bright eyes. They all chuckled at the thought.  
After about an hour, Kakuzu finished supper and called out at the stairs, "Koratani! Come down for dinner!"  
"Coming!" Kora called in a happy sounding tone and hurried down the stairs in earnest and blushed in nervousness at the group of boys.  
"Don't worry about them, their bark is worse than their bite and they won't bother you. They know what's good for them." Kakuzu said.  
All Kora could do was nod, and look at the boys with a nervous but polite smile.  
They were all sitting down now and Zetsu held out his hand to her, "Zetsu, nice to meet you."  
"Same, I'm Koratani." She said lightly.  
"Hi pretty girl! I'm Tobi! Tobi's a good boy!" TObi said excitedly as he hugged her suddenly.  
Koratani grinned and held his arms that were above her chest but under her neck, "Hello Tobi, nice to meet you too."  
"Itachi." Itachi said with a light but pleasant smile.  
"Kisame." Kisame grinned widely.  
Koratani blushed from the attention, "Thanks for the warm greeting you guys. So is this all of you?"  
"Unfortunately, no." Kakuzu grumbled lightly.  
Koratani gave a puzzled look but Sasori patted her arm, "Don't worry about it, you'll meet him soon, he and…" Sasori had to keep from laughing at the thought of the word, "your father, aren't exactly buddy-buddy with each other."  
"I hate it." Kakuzu said.  
"Oh." Koratani replied in understanding, though she could've guessed.  
Kakuzu was about to serve the food, but Koratani stopped him, "Go sit down, I'll take care of it." Kakuzu nodded and the others came to the table, ready to eat Kakuzu's well cooked meal.  
Koratani had just finished putting the food on the table and serving a plate of food to everyone, much to the boys' delight, and she was making a plate for the missing member when he came in cursing up a storm about the weather, traffic and other reasons why he was late. He put the groceries roughly on the counter and barked, "Who the fuck is this bitch?"  
Kakuzu jumped from his chair in a very intimidating way and grabbed Hidan's shirt and raised him a few inches off the ground, "That's my daughter you little brat! And she is about to serve you food, so don't you say another foul word against her! If I hear another vulgar word against her from your mouth, you'll be licking her shoes for forgiveness! Got it!?"  
Hidan growled and roughly sat himself down and Koratani put the plate down lightly, embarrassed and hurt from the words she sat in utter silence. Thus making the group look at Hidan disdainfully. "What the fuck are you looking at, eat your shit."  
Koratani slapped him from where she sat beside him, "Don't insult my father! I don't care if this is the first time I've eaten his food, or the first time I've ever met him. But I will not allow you to say a mean thing against him. You're impolite and disrespectful, eat your food, and shut the fuck up!" She said angrily.  
Kakuzu was stunned by this. As soon as she realized what she said and did she replied, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hit you. I just…I'm sorry." She said and before she started crying she went back to her meal and said nothing, and the group ate.  
Not exactly the ideal first impression for the first meal. But it happened and there was little she could do, but improve. But that was how it began.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3  
After the event of last night, everyone resorted to going to their rooms so the atmosphere would cool down.  
Koratani apologized profusely to her father for the vulgar language but he said, "It's fine, you were upset." He gave her a light smile and kissed her forehead, and said, "Get some sleep. You need it."  
She nodded and did as she was told, but locked the door. It was a safety precaution because she was in a new home with new people. Honestly, she didn't trust anyone; and for good reason. She didn't give Kakuzu all the truth, her mom didn't just die…she was murdered. Just like Kakuzu, her mom was also in a bad business. Thus why Koratani ended up being homeschooled her whole life and was a little naïve about things.  
In all honesty, she didn't want to be here. Not because she secretly hated her dad or anything. But she didn't want anyone to get hurt. She had been here half a day and she already had taken a liking to them. She was also putting up a mostly innocent front. She was a little naïve in some ways, but in others she really was as bad-ass as she was when she slapped Hidan. If it wasn't for her quick acting of being a sensitive mess, she would've blown her cover. She really wished she wasn't here, she didn't want any of them getting into the crossfire. But she just had to lay low for a few days, maybe a week, and then she'd half to leave. She didn't have any friends to go to, and her father's crew were pretty steel hard bad-ass people, but even still…she refused to have her family. Her last family member, no one would touch him. And she would do anything to keep him and the others safe. Even if it meant never seeing him again; which is one of the other reasons why she came here. If things got dark, she could leave at least with the thought that she had met her father, and her father's crew.  
Kora tried to sleep but she tossed and turned all night. So she silently left her room and scouted out the house. If she was going to be here for a bit, then it would be best to know the layout and if there was any places for a quick getaway if needs be. Koratani drifted from room to room and somehow ended up sitting on the roof. Roofs had always been a safe haven for her. A place to think when there's nowhere else to go. She sighed as the light breeze hit her just right, and gave her light playful chills.  
"For a sensitive girl, you're full of fire." Itachi said, as he sat beside her.  
Kora went back to sensitive mode, "Oh, I'm not sure whether to thank you or apologize to that."  
Itachi smirked and stared at the moon, "You remind me of my kid brother…his name is Sasuke…he's about your age actually."  
"Do you not get to see him often?" She asked.  
"It's complicated." He said.  
"I know what's going on, and it's scary." Koratani said, "But you don't have to hide the truth."  
After a moment he said, "In the line of work your father and I, and the others are in? Hardly ever anymore. Sasuke lives with our parents; he and I don't get along anymore. Ever since Mom and Dad kicked me out…He doesn't understand the life we have to lead to keep the ones we love safe."  
I know the feeling. She thought lightly. She was cutting it close with what trouble she was into, but she had to learn what she could from this group. "Yeah…I understand."  
"So how did you come to learn of this?"  
"My mom told me a lot about Dad growing up, so that I couldn't hate him for what he did. And I didn't. We have to do whatever we can to live…that's how life works, right?"  
He nodded, "Sensitive, but clever. That's a good thing around here."  
She smiled lightly, "Thanks."  
They both sat in companionable silence and he asked, "So why are you out of bed?"  
"Restless…it's so strange being here…without my mom."  
"Ah…so that's what happened, I'm sorry about your mom. You have my deepest condolences. How did she die?"  
Koratani sniffed a little at the thought, "She got in the crossfire of a gang war." Not far from the truth she reasoned. For some reason she really hated lying to Itachi.  
He shook his head lightly, "That bites…maybe the world will right itself…high hopes, but we have to have something to believe in."  
There was a moment's pause before Koratani broke the silence, "So why are you not catching 'z's?"  
Itachi shrugged, "Just couldn't sleep. It happens sometimes."  
"Do you miss your family?"  
"Sometimes…but then again, they don't want me around. So this family I have now…despite the squabbles I know they'd do anything to keep me safe, but the same goes for everyone."  
"Wow, must be nice to have a family like that, with a bunch of siblings to joke with." Koratani said with a light sorrow. She had always wanted siblings. People she could talk to that were around her age.  
"You know, if you want it, you can have a true family here, you just have to try and be a part of it, and we'll easily accept you. But you have to trust us, if you distance yourself, we can't welcome you properly." Itachi finished. His hand extended to her.  
Koratani looked at it for a moment and a rush of feelings, thoughts flooded into her. If she accepted his hand, it meant she couldn't leave them without breaking and betraying them with her lies. But if she didn't accept it, he'd be suspicious unless she came up with another dreaded lie to compensate for herself. But could she get away with it? Would he buy it?


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4  
Either way she was damned if she accepted his offer of family, damned if she didn't. But in the end she realized, the only true option to take was accept the offer, gain their trust. Then when the fire's high, and trouble is lurking, leave so they don't get hurt. She'd rather honorably betray them. Than let them think that she was a spy and not accept it. She would not be the girl who'd be loyal to them but end up killing them. Indirectly or not, it just wasn't going to happen, not on her watch at any rate. So she took his hand with her big doe eyes that beamed. "Thank you Itachi…it means a lot to me."  
He nodded lightly and then said in a more serious tone, "You can always talk to me you know. About anything." If she didn't know any better, she'd have thought that he saw through her façade but that was impossible…wasn't it? But in case he was trying to trick her, she nodded with her false innocent smile and said, "I know, you're a good person Itachi, and kind."  
He nodded, whether agreeing to her words, or confirming that she was keeping her secrets, the 'He Knows What's Up' theory; she didn't know. But that's how it felt. He finally got up, "I think I'm ready to sleep, I hope you find your time to sleep as well, when you need it that is."  
Koratani nodded and waved, and when he was gone she breathed a light sigh. Maybe she hated lying to him, because she felt that somehow he knew she was lying to him. She stayed in that spot for a few more hours before she returned to her bed. Though it started to get hot and muggy later in the night. Soon she was dreaming.  
She was upstairs reading a book when her mom opened her door and started packing all of Koratani's things, "Hurry! Hurry! They're here!" Akiko hissed to Koratani. Koratani rushed to grab everything she needed. "Okay, ready." Koratani was on the tree outside the window, when she hissed lightly, "Mom, aren't you coming?" Her mom's face began to pour with tears, as she shut the window and locked it, mouthing, 'run'. Koratani bit back tears but understood everything. Her mom would stall the bad guys. She ran, but didn't get far before she heard her mother's scream and though several yards away she saw the demonic look of a man she knew only by name. Orochimaru laughing down at what she assumed was her dying mother. She turned and ran, but she moved nowhere. Soon she was being choked and squeezed to death by a boa constrictor. And his face his cold snake like face was laughing down at her and his mouth opened to reveal fangs and he lunged to bite her.  
"NOOOOO!" She screamed, lurching up, drenched in a cold sweat. Tobi, who's room was next door, came in dinosaur pajamas. "Are you okay Kora?" He asked in his childish way. She shook her head, unable to deny it, and he crawled into bed with her and held her. And they slept, like two little kids. Like a brother and a sister at a tender age.  
Kakuzu opened the door a few hours later, at about 8ish, to find the two cuddled up like a couple of little kids. In which in some cases they were. More or less innocent to the world, yet they knew so much already.  
He closed the door, letting them sleep some more, unknowing of the nightmare she had not too long ago, and the truth it held in it.  
Everyone aside from Kora and Tobi were making breakfast when he came down. Deidara then mentioned, "You know it's funny, in the middle of the night, I could've sworn I heard Koratani screaming."  
"Really?" Kakuzu said curiously, turning to Deidara with rice chex in his hand.  
"You sure it wasn't yourself screaming from a creepy nightmare?" Sasori grinned.  
Deidara whapped him upside the head.  
"No, Deidara might be right. It would explain why Tobi was in her bed with her this morning. She must've had a nightmare and he was the only one who heard it and went to check. Good thing it was him and not you Deidara, because if I had found you in her room, I would've beat your ass, and thrown you out." Kakuzu said waving a spoon at him, and then pouring the cereal and milk into a bowl.  
"Killjoy." Deidara teased.  
"Ah! Fuck!" Hidan shouted and soon came out with a little rag pressed firmly against his cheek making Kakuzu smirk, "Cut yourself while shaving again?"  
"Yeah, Jashin damn!" He growled.  
The others laughed at his misfortune, "Where's the kids?" Hidan asked, as he popped a smores pop-tart into the toaster.  
Pein looked over his newspaper, "You really shouldn't be having those for breakfast, they aren't healthy. Those are for quickie meals when we need to be somewhere."  
Hidan mimicked him, "Jeez, live a little would yah? I mean fuck, you're beginning to sound like a Kakuzu."  
"Excuse me?" Kakuzu said gruffly.  
Hidan shrugged, "You know 'A Kakuzu', 'an old man'."  
Kakuzu glared at him, "That was so funny I forgot to laugh."  
"I thought it was hilarious." Hidan said with a smirk as he made himself some chocolate milk.  
"Sugar for food and sugar for a drink too? You'd better brush your teeth after breakfast." Zetsu advised.  
"Fuck what is this, a scene from that movie Grumpy Ol' Geezers?" Hidan exclaimed incredulously.  
"It's Grumpy Old Men." Sasori corrected.  
"Well fuck me dry, I'm sorry." Hidan mocked.  
Kisame poured himself another glass of milk, "You know you could try having just milk, it builds strong bones."  
"Only until a certain age, Kisame." Itachi said.  
"Milk is good for your body anyways." Kisame replied.  
"True…could oyou pass the orange juice?" Itachi asked.  
Kisame nodded and handed the orange juice over.


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter 5  
Kora and Tobi came downstairs and sat the table. Tobi was chipper as usual, but his female counterpart was nowhere near there. And it wasn't the nightmare. It was merely one simple fact; it was morning. Thankfully it was a Monday morning. Being half asleep still, and groggy, in her grey pajamas and red robe, she searched the same cabinet for five minutes looking for a coffee cup.  
Pein snickered and said lightly, "Let's see how long it takes her to get a cup of coffee and get in her seat."  
Kakuzu frowned at their usage of her for entertainment, but this kept everyone silent and it was kind of amusing; he had to admit to himself, as she slowly began to look through other cabinet, going about her business, as if she didn't realize they were there. Silent like a floating cloud, that's what she reminded him of…scratch that. Due to her aura, it was more of a dark floating storm cloud. She was dangerous and delicate, all at once.  
Finally finding a cup, she sat down and took a sip of air, and realizing there was nothing; she got up and went to the coffee pot and pushed the cup against the large dipped button that usually poured the coffee for itself. When she found that it was empty, she stared at it for a good 5-10 minutes, as if willing it to brew her coffee. But at last she came to her senses and made herself a pot of coffee, and stared at it as she waited. When the coffee was done she sat down and took a sip. Koratani's mouth-line stretched in disgust, and her eyes closed for a second at the bitterness, but she swallowed the sip. This made the Akatsuki laugh and applaud, Pein returned to his paper announcing, "23 minutes and fifteen seconds. Interesting." Koratani set her coffee down and glared at them lightly in disapproval then sighed, "I give up."  
Deidara smiled, "Don't worry about it kiddo. Besides, we were just having fun watching you, no harm done. And when you sipped straight strong black coffee you definitely proved yourself fearless…and maybe mindless as well."  
Koratani smiled lightly, "Thanks, I think."  
Deidara laughed, "And for your sportsmanship, I will sweeten your coffee for you." But before he could leave, Zetsu grabbed his wrist, "Is that wise? You drink your coffee way to sweet."  
Kora looked at them, "What about Tobi?"  
"Tobi doesn't drink coffee, he sticks to milk, chocolate milk, or some kind of juice." Pein replied.  
Kora nodded then turned to Deidara, who's wrist had been let go of and she smiled wickedly, and clasped her hands together and braced them under her chin, "Really now? Did you know you can tell a lot about a person by the coffee they drink?"  
Sasori grinned with interest, "So tell us what Deidara's coffee tells about him."  
"Simple, Deidara's sweet, and affectionate. He gets his feelings hurt easily and couldn't hurt a fly. Though, due to the fact that Tobi drinks what he does, Deidara's obviously a little tougher." Koratani analyzed.  
"Not really, three-quarters of his coffee is sugar and creamer." Zetsu said.  
"Lies! It's only 1/3 creamer and sugar." Deidara said with a light blush.  
She chuckled, and then looked at the other's cups and explained theirs'. "Hidan…black with lots of sugar. He's tough on the outside-," She grinned a little slyly, "But when you stay around a bit he's a teddy bear."  
Hidan tinted pink and crossed his arms, "I fucking am not!"  
Kakuzu slapped him upside the head growling, "No more cussing around her."  
Hidan winced and then said, "Bet you can't guess what your DAD's coffee is."  
Koratani approached her father's and grabbed the cup, but Kakuzu stopped her, and glared at HIdan before returning his gaze to his daughter, "Don't. It's polluted with sake and whiskey."  
Koratani grinned, "Strong, black with some sugar, and filled with liquor obviously, he's a man's man. Tough as a brick, he's sweet at times, and…" She spoke a little sadly at the last part, "He's got more worry to deal with than others."  
Kakuzu was surprised by how accurate she was with everyone's coffee, especially his. He coughed and said, "We should all get out of the house today, get some fresh air."  
Koratani and Tobi were the last to eat breakfast, and afterwards Pein said, "What should we do today?"  
"BASEBALL!" Most of the boys shouted.  
Kakuzu chuckled lightly, "Baseball it is, what about you Koratani?"  
Koratani blushed, "I don't play sports, I hardly know what it is."  
"It's fun!" Tobi said.  
"We'll teach yah, don't sweat it." Kisame agreed.  
Koratani smiled brighter, "Okay, thanks."  
This earned her a discreet grin from Itachi.  
They got their stuff and headed off, and Koratani asked, "How come you have an extra set for me already?"  
Pein answered, "Because another member of the team is on vacation and won't be back for a while."  
Koratani nodded, "Oh, okay."  
They soon approached a desolated park with a grand diamond made for baseball.  
Koratani shivered with excitement at the thought of getting to do something new. Her mother had been always very worried about her safety, so she had never gotten to do what other kids did. This meant she stayed at home a lot, thus she also got sick a lot from a bad immune system.  
Kakuzu and Pein were the teams' leaders, and Pein announced, "As the leader, I pick Ko-," but Kakuzu punched his arm. Pein only chuckled, "I mean Zetsu."  
"Koratani." Kakuzu said calmly.  
Koratani laughed as she headed over to her father.  
"Deidara." Pein called.  
"Kisame."  
"Sasori."  
"Itachi."  
"Tobi." Pein said, giving Kakuzu a 'Ha, ha, you've got Hidan' look.  
Hidan always was fouling up which meant Kakuzu had a disadvantage.  
Kakuzu growled at Pein, "I hate you."  
"I know." Pein nodde.  
Hidan headed over to Kakuzu's team.  
"LET'S PLAY BALL!" Deidara called out in his best announcer voice.


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter 6  
Kisame and Itachi taught her the basics and gave a few pointers on Deidara as a pitcher who was the best baseball player on the field.  
Koratani nodded and looked to Deidara, who slid his forefingers and thumb along the rim of his cap, with a bright devious smile. Koratani grinned at her darker haired teammates, "I think I'll be fine."  
They nodded and the game began.  
It was Koratani's turn to bat, and she readied herself. Deidara grinned and made a number to the catcher whom was Sasori. What Koratani didn't know was, catcher's weren't there to catch balls, their job was solely to distract, piss of or even embarrass, the batters.  
"So Kora, tonight, we should totally get together."  
"What are you talking about?" Koratani asked not taking her eyes off the ball as she swung and missed.  
"STRIKE ONE!" Sasori called out, "You know, since you slept with Tobi last night, I'd like to have a turn with you."  
Kora growled, "We didn't do anything what are you talking about?"  
"STRIKE TWO!"  
Koratani grew agitated, but prepared herself once more.  
"Oh come on, I know what you kids really did. And I want a turn to get down and dirty with you."  
Koratani was embarrassed and pissed about the vulgar accusation, and spun on him hitting his arm with the bat. Which in turn the ball hit Sasori in the chest.  
"Ow! Ow! Damn it! That hurt!" Sasori said in a hurt tone.  
"Well then don't talk to me while I'm batting, you're making me lose my concentration."  
"That's what I'm supposed to do!" Sasori exclaimed.  
"What, cheat?" Koratani snapped.  
"It's not cheating!"  
Itachi and Deidara hurried over and pulled the two further apart before anyone got really hurt.  
"What's going on?" Kakuzu asked.  
"Sasori was cheating! He was talking to me in a vulgar way about 'getting down and dirty' with me, and so I got mad at him and since I struck out anyways, I hit him with the bat." Kora said.  
"I was just doing what I usually do." Sasori explained.  
Kakuzu massaged the bridge of his nose, "All vulgarity aside, he's right Kora. Whether vulgar or not, it is something the catcher does. Kora, have you ever played baseball?"  
"I said before that I don't do sports." Kora explained.  
"Koratani, there's a difference between not 'doing sports' and not 'playing sports'. Just because you don't do sports, doesn't mean you haven't tried, it just means you have played but don't care to do the participating in them." Pein explained.  
"Oh…then no, I've never played a sport before."  
By this time everyone had gathered in wonder of what was going on.  
"What, you've never played a sport before?" Tobi asked amazed.  
Kora nodded lightly, "Because of Dad's work, she didn't want me to get into the same thing so she homeschooled me and I never really played outside without her supervision."  
"Can we say SHELTERED~." Kisame almost sang the last word.  
Itachi glared at him, "Kisame, this isn't funny. Had Kora hit Sasori any harder, his bones would've broke."  
"Right, sorry." Kisame said with a light shrug.  
Koratani hung her head in shame and said, "Sorry Sasori." Then she turned tail and ran back to one of the vehicles, locking the door. She had never been so humiliated! How could she have known!? The game was so commonplace to them, so of course they would expect her to treat it as just crap in a game. She felt so alone. This was hardly a family feeling. How do you be a part of a family when you're so different? She just didn't fit in. Maybe it was a mistake to come here. If these situations kept up, her secret would be revealed. If that happened, she'd have to force herself to leave early. She cared about them sure, but a kid can only do so much when they are a black dot in the mass of white or vice versa. But this time…she felt like she was the grey in the overlap. She didn't fit in one way or the other. She was different, and alone. There was no way around it; there was no way for her to fit in. She'd have to leave sooner than later. That's all there was too it.  
Sasori sighed, "I'll go talk to her. It's my fault after all."  
The others agreed and he jogged over and knocked on the window of the door. She looked up at him and then hesitantly unlocked it as she sat in the backseat. He opened the door and slid in beside her, putting one arm on the head of the seat, his body turned to her, "Listen Kora, I'm sorry for embarrassing you. We all just assumed, when we should've asked you clearly. That was our bad. As for me, the least I could've done was not put sex into the matter to embarrass you. Honestly it's not something a kid like you should be thinking about, that was my own stupidity."  
Koratani nodded as he spoke.  
"What do you say Koratani, do you forgive me?"  
Koratani gave a light smile, "Only if you forgive me for hitting you."  
He chuckled, "Eh, I got what I had coming. We cool?"  
Kora giggled and nodded, "Yeah, we're cool."  
Sasori grinned warmly and opened himself to her, "C'mere."  
She obliged and he hugged her to him and kissed her forehead, "Don't fret over the small stuff. And if anyone really does try to come onto you like I was doing earlier, come tell me and I'll beat 'em up for you."  
Koratani smiled and nodded, "Thanks Sasori."  
He nodded and gave her a kiss on the cheek, "You know, you really are too cute for your own good."  
Koratani giggled, "Flattery will get you nowhere."  
"Yeah, so I can tell. Come on."  
"I still can't play though."  
"That's why they call it trial by error."  
"What do you mean Sasori?"


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"What I mean is, all you really need to do is learn on the way. Besides it's not like we're playing for the big leagues or anything."  
"That's true."  
Sasori nodded and took her hand, "You can trust me, and I hope you know that."  
"I'll keep that in mind." She teased.  
He only chuckled, "Come on, and let's kick butt out there."  
"But we're on opposite teams."  
"Then, we'll just have to kick each other's butts." He grinned, making her laugh and nod.  
They went back out to the field where the game continued until the last round where Koratani was totally focused. Suddenly a bee buzzed in her ear and it made her freak out, and she dropped the bat. Which led to the ball hitting her square in jaw, and knocking her to the dirt covered floor.  
"Holy shit! Kora!" Deidara exclaimed, dashing over.  
Koratani laid on the ground dizzily half unconscious, half stunned, definitely too stunned to cry from the pain as her began to swell from the bump.  
Luckily the damage wasn't so bad looking; just a small bump that with the right amount of healing would go away in a couple of days.  
Deidara was so shocked by what he did, he couldn't stop apologizing.  
So in the end, he sat with her as everyone finished up the game.  
Exasperated and a little annoyed but thankful of his apologetic behavior, she hugged him and gave him a peck kiss on the lips; "It's fine. You're forgiven."  
Thankfully no one had seen this, but it shut Deidara up because he started blushing a deep red and went all giddy. Which made Koratani giggle. "You're adorable Deidara, I hope you know that." She turned his head to her, which sobered him up a bit and turned serious, "Koratani…" He said lightly, giving a romantic atmosphere, well in his mind anyways. Koratani was too oblivious and naïve to understand what she did. He leaned in a bit and she smiled, "Yes?"  
He leaned in more, and bit his bottom lip lightly, stopping himself, "You're the one who is adorable." He replied, and pulled himself upright.  
Koratani blushed lightly and they talked before they all got in the vehicles, and headed home and made lunch for themselves.  
For the rest of the day, the watched a movie, and a lot of talking and normal squabbling was done. That evening it was Kisame's turn to cook supper.  
Zetsu sighed, "Seafood again."  
Koratani wrinkled her nose, "Seafood?"  
"What?! Seafood is delicious!" Kisame said.  
"I'm sorry Kisame, it's just I'm allergic to seafood." Koratani said lightly.  
Kisame dropped his shoulders a little in disappointment, "Oh, you are?"  
Koratani nodded, "Sorry Kisame."  
He gave a light smile and waved it off, "It's fine. So what would you like to eat?"  
"Um…you know I could just cook something up myself."  
"Well, I guess I could have you cook with me." He grinned, liking the thought of being able to spend some time with her.  
Koratani brightened and hopped off the couch to join him in the kitchen. She washed her hands and rolled her sleeves up, and set about making herself chicken Alfredo fettuccini, one of her favorite meals.  
"Heh, you're a real chef aren't ya?" kisame grinned brightly at her.  
She shrugged politely, "I'm just as good as the next person."  
"Why thank you." Kisame teased, making her laugh, "At least I'm better than Deidara."  
"I heard that!" Deidara called from the other room, making the cooking duo chuckle.  
"What was your mom like?" He asked lightly.  
Koratani stopped cooking and looked up, not quite looking at anything, but her vision was lost in a distant memory of her mother, "Beautiful…in all the senses. She never raised her voice, taught me with a gentle hand, she didn't believe in spanking. She was everything any child would want for a mother. She sang or read me to sleep, knew exactly where and how to stroke my head to make me fall asleep. She never said she didn't have time for me…she was…perfect." She bit a sob, and Kisame rubbed her back, "She must've been one hell of a woman."  
"She was all that and more." Koratani agreed.  
"Aside from your short temperedness like your dad, I can see who you take after most."  
Koratani looked at him with a beaming smile, that was a golden compliment in her eyes, "Thank you, Kisame, that really means a lot to me."  
He nodded and they finished cooking and they all ate. There was much talk and jokes.  
She began to wonder if she really could fit in with everyone, maybe for once, she really could have a family. Maybe…but only if she didn't spill out the truth…It would be a broken family since she would never be able to tell them the truth, if she did, there would be no family for her to return to. That's what Itachi didn't understand, she couldn't have a family with her back story. She would have to make up an entire life's worth of false tales and record them. If she wrote them down, then there would be no way she could lie and it wouldn't considered implausible. Koratani didn't want to live a false family life…but maybe it's the best way for her to start one. Or else she'll never be able to have a family. Altogether the idea of a false family life tore her apart. Besides, who was she kidding? They would find her. The people she had been escaping her would find her and she would have to leave her family so that no one could ever find her.  
Later on that night, as she lay asleep in bed, something struck a chord in her. She sat up with a jerk, cold sweat beading on her brow at the mere thought. She jumped to the window, expecting to see his cold ivory snake like face, looking at her with malicious amber eyes.


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter 8  
Hair black as ebony that fell around his slender form, and a smile that would make a grown man shiver. She expected to see all this as she looked out the window, expecting him to have found her. As she was laying down a moment ago, she had just realized something she had over looked before. She had grown up with pictures of her father around the house. Why didn't she think of it before? Orochimaru would have a picture of her father with him and he would soon find where her father lived and that would be the end of it! She bit her lip in despair until a bead of blood dribbled. Of course, she had been gone for over a week, about 9 days now.  
There was a chance he wouldn't find her. But she knew that was a very small, slim chance. After all, he knew her name, he knew what she looked like, he knew much about her. She remembered many nights when Orochimaru was a friend of her mother's. Or she thought they were friends, more like just business partners. But Orochimaru knew her weaknesses, but her mother was dead now, so he had only one at his disposal…but she didn't dare think of it.  
She slept fitfully throughout the night, and by morning was worse for wear. She was coughing insanely and sniffling. She had no idea what time it was, when Pein opened the door, "Hey, it's like 11:30, you already missed breakfast, are you-," He stopped talking and took her appearance in. Her face was pale and her cheeks flushed so the contrast was evident. Pein strode across the floor of her room and felt her forehead, "That would explain it." He said pulling his hand away from her head, "You have a fever. Give me moment, I'll be right back." He left and soon returned with a thermometer and placed it under her tongue. After a few moments it beeped and he looked at it with a flicker of concern, "Don't worry sweetie, it's not that bad." He lied, and then said, "I'll go make you some broth."  
Koratani nodded and he hurried downstairs, everyone turned to Pein as he entered the living room,"Where's Kakuzu?"  
"Shaving, why?" Kisame asked.  
You will all have to go to work without me…actually Tobi, I will need your assistance."  
Tobi nodded with a big smile, "Tobi is a good boy, Tobi will stay."  
"What's wrong?" Itachi asked in concern.  
"Koratani's sick, very sick. One more degree and she'll be going to the hospital." Pein said, "This is Kakuzu's project so he has to be there. He'll be distracted if he knows about Koratani. Tobi, go make Koratani some broth."  
Tobi nodded and left.  
"So go take care of business, Tobi and I will care for her and she'll be fine." Pein assured the others.  
They all nodded, concern glazing their faces. They had known her only a short time but they already cared about her as if she was their sister.  
Pein left the room to go return to Koratani.  
Kakuzu returned to the living room and asked, "Where's Tobi and Pein."  
"They decided to stay behind to take care of Kora, she hasn't been here that long, we don't want her getting lost in this place do we?" Itachi said. It wasn't a lie, so his face rang with truth.  
Kakuzu nodded, "True, in any case, we should be on our way."  
They left and Pein and Tobi did was needed. Broth, hot water, more blankets. They were going to sweat out her fever.  
Pein sat with her as he helped her drink the broth as Tobi was boiling water to soak the rags in. Koratani cried and sniffled, "I'm so sorry; I never meant to hurt you guys. I like you all, you've been so good to me and in payment I give danger and pain."  
"Shh, it's fine, you're not a pain, and we're not in danger. It's all a figment of your imagination." He cooed softly trying to soothe.  
She thrashed her head in angry frustration, "You don't understand! He's coming! He's coming for me! He'll find me! He knows how to hurt me and he'll do anything to get me. I alone hold what he needs to destroy everything."  
"You're going to be fine; no one's going to hurt you."  
"Pein, please! Promise me no matter what, if he comes for me; you and the others won't stop me from doing what I need to do!"  
Pein looked at her in confusion, what was she talking about? Her fear seemed genuine, but was it her imagination, or was it some piece of her subconscious trying to speak to him?  
"Kora, what's wrong, who's after you?"  
"I can't…I can't…it hurts…it hurts so much." She sobbed turning away.  
"Kora please, tell me what's going on, I can't help you if you don't tell me."  
"Promise it to me Pein! If he comes, you have to let me do what I need to!" She practically shrieked, fear clutching her eyes.  
"Of course…I'll do whatever you think is necessary." He replied.  
She nodded and fell into unconsciousness, which he allowed since he needed to collect his thoughts for a moment.  
Tobi came up with the hot water, "Why was Kora screaming, is she going to be okay?" He asked with big frightened doe like eyes.  
Pein gave him a soft reassuring smile, "She was just having a little fit, nothing to be worried about…go make some more broth."  
Tobi nodded and left.  
What was she trying to tell him? Who was the man she warning him about? Did her mom take in an abusive man into home after Kakuzu left, or whatever happened between them? Did her mom take a loan and never was able to pay it back?  
He watched the girl in her fitful sleep, and wondered what she was going through, and what all was she holding back.


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter 9  
Pein watched her as she went in and out of sleep, studying her. Her temperature had been rising and falling every so often, so he knew he couldn't leave her alone until her fever broke. But it had yet to do so. Though, that wasn't the only thing on his mind. He kept puzzling over her warning. Then a thought came to him, did she bring anything with her? He thought back to the day she came, and nodded at the memory, she had come with a back pack. He was startled when Tobi came up looking worn out, "Is this going to enough?" He asked coming up with this time cold water for her to drink, and more hot rags. Pein nodded, "For now, take care of her, I need to attend to something." He then grabbed Koratani's backpack and left.  
Tobi nodded, "Tobi's a good boy, Tobi will take good care of her. What are you doing with her bag?"  
"You can cut the act Madara, she's asleep."  
Tobi nodded, "You haven't answered my question Pein." He said in a deeper voice.  
"I will tell you soon."  
"You had better, you answer to me, remember?"  
Pein gave a light bow of his head, "Of course."

Pein silently thanked Tobi/Madara in his mind for providing the perfect opportunity to go through Koratani's stuff. Not exactly the most respectful thing to do, but this was an urgent matter. If there really was a man whom was a danger to not only Koratani but the rest of the group, then he needed to find out who it was, how to protect her and his family, and how to defeat him.

Tobi sighed and took off the mask, and raked a hand through his spiky black hair in concern, "Jeez you're causing a lot of trouble kid." He continued in his normal voice which revealed that he was more of a man than he let on to his other subordinates. He stroked her face lovingly, "You're going to be okay, I promise. Your fever should break soon…but what I really want to know is what happened to your mom? How did she die?"

Pein carefully rifled through her red backpack but he couldn't find anything useful so far. She had five outfits tightly rolled so as to make more space, a pack of unmentionable lady items, a sketchbook, a pencil box, and charm bracelet. He wracked his brains trying to figure something out. A diary was what he was initially looking for, but it was apparent that she wasn't the diary keeping type. Then again that was a clever thing to do. No one could pick a lock to locked diary and read her life, so it's possible she really was a lot more knowledgeable than she let on. He sat against the door tearing at his hair in frustration, and suddenly from his angle, he saw that her charm bracelet, which was the band kind, where you keep attaching small square charms to it, on the inside, there was words! He snatched up the bracelet and carefully read the words, 'A picture is worth a thousand words'.  
He sighed, it was just a silly phrase. He let his head rest against the door and then he saw the sketchbook again, he didn't give it a moment's thought before…but…it came to him. Was it just a silly phrase? Or was it a coded hint?  
"A picture is worth a thousand words." He breathed and then looked at the sketchbook skeptically. He chuckled and shook his head, "Smart kid. Who'd ever check a sketchbook to find your life's secrets?" He dropped the charm bracelet and opened the sketchbook.  
In the top left corner of the first page, was a beautifully drawn picture of Kakuzu as a dark and foreboding man, showing just his torso and dark grey shadows in the background with black eyes. The entire page was a collage of little pictures showing that Kakuzu was a man of a shady business, and found the woman he loved. The next page shocked him and made him pink a bit as he saw the picture. It was done sideways showing Kakuzu and the woman making love; thankfully a blanket covered certain areas. There was a collage of Kakuzu and the woman falling even more in love.  
Pein turned his eyes to see in the next picture was also a full, it showed Kakuzu arguing with people, and him looking all kinds of angered and worried, then on the next page it showed a three quarter view of him crying at a desk with ink spilling all over it, and several crumpled papers and a tear stained paper that had a few words written in calligraphy. It was apparently a goodbye letter.  
He flipped through each page getting more of the story. Kakuzu gave the woman the letter and kissed her. They cried as they held each other in one last embrace. Kakuzu left. The woman became with child and smiled at the picture of Kakuzu. The woman was into shady business that Kakuzu didn't know about. She was in a gang just like them. She was shown at a dinner table at her house talking with another man, Orochimaru.  
Pein frowned; Orochimaru was an old rival of theirs before his gang had disbanded. He kept the thought in mind.  
It showed Orochimaru falling in love with the pregnant woman, and soon helping her giving birth to Koratani. The following pictures were him helping the woman raise Koratani. Koratani was happy, she was introduced to a young man who recently joined the crew, whom was a little older than her. Pein thought he recognized the older kid, but couldn't remember the name.  
Koratani became best friends with the kid, even falling for him. She seemed to like Orochimaru as a father figure as well. Soon she celebrated her 13th birthday with the now young adult, Orochimaru and her mother.


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter 10  
Pein lifted his eyes from the book and sighed with amazement, she was definitely a well talented artist and storyteller, that's for sure. He soaked in the information he had gathered so far. It was beginning to come together a bit. He shook his muttering, "A picture is worth a thousand words, so over a dozen must be worth a novel of your life." He then returned to looking at the sketchbook.  
That night or some night not too far from her birthday, he made love to her mother and that morning, he proposed to her. But the woman refused.  
Orochimaru grew angry but it only showed through his evil smirk. Koratani and her mother moved and hid themselves well. But not well enough. Two years later, Her mother rushed her out the window and the last image was Orchimaru laughing as he killed her mother.  
Pein dropped the book; it all came to him so fast. Orochimaru may have disbanded but he had other scores to settle. He had a child to obtain. A child, Pein was sure that Orochimaru considered his because he raised her. He covered his mouth, his eyes blinking back tears, he was angry, and he was scared…for Koratani. She was in a heap of trouble with forces a lot more powerful than she could ever imagine.

Madara saw Pein enter the room, "Well?"  
"It's a long story."  
"Well we have ti-," Madara began.  
"We're home!" Deidara called out.  
Madara sighed and put his mask on, and returned to being Tobi, "They're back!" He exclaimed and ran out the door.  
"Sometimes I wish you were always like that." Pein grumbled and sighed deeply and went downstairs to see what had happened and what mood Kakuzu was in. It wouldn't do well to tell him if he was pissed, but then again, he needed to period. She was his daughter after all.  
Kakuzu was talking with the others, he was calm, which Pein took as a a good note. Not happy so as to damper his mood, but not angry so he won't so something reckless. "Did it go well?" Pein asked.  
Kakuzu shrugged, "Well enough."  
"Good, because this is where the bush beating ends, Tobi and I stayed back to take care of Kora. She's still very ill and has been all day. But we've taken good care of her. But you might want to take a look at her. Her fever hasn't broke yet though." Pein said with a point blank expression.  
Kakuzu tensed up and paled, "How long has it been?"  
"Eh…I'd say about ten hours? Why?" Pein asked.  
Kakuzu stormed up the stairs with the others following, filled with curiousity. "Before Akiko died, she had an incurable and unnamable medical condition that caused her to have dramatic raises and drops in temperature. After ten hours, she starts puking and turns a green shade. Akiko stayed inside a lot because she was very fragile. Being outside for too long can take a dramatic affect on her. I had hoped Kora would be fine since she made it here from where they lived. But it must've been days, if that's so, if she's been outside that long before coming here, and not to mention the baseball game yesterday…things could prove fatal." He hurried up the steps, and threw open the door, and his fears were true. Not only was she vomiting on the floor violently, but laced with the green and off-white bile, was blood.  
"Oh gawd…how did it get this far?" Kakuzu said breathlessly to himself. He rounded on Pein, "How have you been tending to her?"  
"Broth, and hot wet rags, we were trying to sweat her out."  
Kakuzu looked around and nodded and opened the curtains, "Damn it! That's why! What you were doing was right, cold rags would've made her worse. But instead the window was open, that's why she hasn't gotten better. Damn it, I had such high hopes that she wouldn't inherit this." He said and closed the window.  
"Is it contagious?" Deidara asked cautiously.  
"No, thank god it isn't. Well don't just stand there, either go heat up water and make yourself useful, or come in and take a seat, body heat will help her too." Kakuzu advised.  
Pein left to go heat up some water, and Tobi went with him.  
"Is she going to be okay?" Deidara asked lightly, his voice tight with concern.  
Kakuzu was silent for a moment but finally said, "She's my daughter isn't she?"  
Deidara smirked and nodded, "Right, you're right, she'll be fine."  
The hours went on and Koratani's temperature only rose. Kakuzu became more edgy, and everyone was a good deal more than cautious because of the dark aura being emitted from Kakuzu.  
At about two in the morning, everyone was asleep, save for Kakuzu. Well Hidan too, he had been heating up more rags for Kora. He was heading up when he heard deep ragged breaths. He peeked through the crack in the door and saw that Kakuzu had his head in his hands, crying. Shocked and worried he entered, "Is…is she-," Hidan asked lightly.  
Kakuzu coughed and hurriedly wiped away his tears, "No!" But it was evident that it was beginning to look that way.  
Koratani was as white as snow, and was freezing to the touch, despite being beneath the mounds of blankets.  
Hidan then thought of something, "Kakuzu…I know you hate me, but can I try something?"  
Kakuzu glared at him but then softened, "If it was before today I wouldn't let you land a hand on my daughter…but since there's not much options left…I don't want to lose her Hidan. If you think you can help her, please, she's the only blood I have left."  
Hidan nodded, and Kakuzu left. When Hidan heard the door close behind him, Hidan crawled into the bed with her. At first Hidan held her, rubbing her arms. Hidan breathed deeply, now step two, hopefully this worked.


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11  
He looked at Kora with his soft violet eyes. The poor kid, fifteen years old and if he didn't do something, she'd be a goner. Hidan heaved a deep sigh, and brushed his lips against hers, and he gently lowered his lips onto hers, and soon claimed them as his own. He felt it wasn't exactly fair to him that she wouldn't be feeling anything from this, at least not consciously. But that couldn't be helped, so he might as well have fun with it, because whatever could make her warm will be what saves her. Hidan let his mouth trail to her ear and tugged on it playfully. He kissed her neck gently and then grazed it with his teeth, and began licking her sweet flesh. He gently bit down lightly and began sucking deeply, breathing deeply on her neck. Whatever helps save Kora. He thought to himself, as his member began to strain against the refines of his pants. Damn she's hot. He thought as she looked over her semi-matured body.  
He moved his knee where her entrance was, her face gave the barest twitch for a moment and he smiled, progress. He then knew what he had to do. After all, it's the best way to cause heat. He stripped her of her clothes and did the same for himself and took her slender vulnerable form into his hands, and since he couldn't very well give it to her anally as she would have to be conscious and in a position for that, he gently eased himself in, thankful that the foreplay he gave her beforehand had made her unconscious body wet itself, and he entered her. Knowing there was no going back now, he slowly began to pump into her, and he couldn't stop himself from going into a heated frenzy. Her body, it felt like a paradise. She was so tight and warm over his member. He had the slight figure in his arms as he took everything that she was and kissed her, rubbing every inch of her back as he let himself take her with a heated passion that no one could rival.  
She was simply amazing, he could only imagine how much greater it would be if she was making love back to him. But he shook his head, knowing that he had a job to do. Then again, if he saved her life, Kakuzu may not hate him as much anymore, and may feel a little indebted to him. Wait…what about Kora? Wouldn't she want a say in this? Nah, she'd be too happy that he had saved her life, she'd give himself willing to her. It was at this moment, as he was sweating over her, that he climaxed into her, and he realized what he had done. But maybe nothing would happen. Maybe it wasn't that certain time that would allow her to make…No, there's definitely no way…she'd be fine…Snapping out of that mindset, Hidan pulled out of her and felt her forehead, the fever broke. He sighed with a soft tender smile, brushing away her dark crimson-brown locks and whispered gently into her ear, "Don't worry, you're going to live." He then locked the door and held her in his arms.  
Early the following morning, Hidan slipped out of the bed and dressed himself, giving her one last look before carefully changing the sheets and dressing her in her bed clothes again. He left the room and left a note in Kakuzu's room;  
Old Man,  
I'm out, Kora's fine. Her fever broke. Don't hate me too much, but hey, she's alive.  
Then, and only then did Hidan leave the house. For a few hours he wandered around and as he walked he aimlessly found himself staring at a convenient store. Hidan sighed, and entered the store. There was only one thing on his fretting mind, and it was something for Kora…for the future…just in case.

Kakuzu awoke and found the note. He was angry and relieved at the same time. He had given Hidan permission to do it to save her life, but it still angered him. But he couldn't say anything bad about it. But he wished that Kora's first time wouldn't have been with that damn Hidan, and that she at least would've been conscious. But there was no helping that anymore, but why was he out? Did he regret doing it because she wasn't conscious? If so, it would only prove he was a selfish prick. Even though Hidan had saved her, he still harbored ill will against Hidan.

After about an hour, everyone was playing a game of cards while drinking coffee, when Koratani walked down the stairs. The sound made everyone jump a little and look up. Koratani was making her way into the dining room where they were playing, and they all stood up. Kakuzu approached her, "How do you feel?"  
"Hard to say, in a sense; like crap, but then again I feel amazing." Koratani said lightly, hugging her father. "Thanks for taking care of me."  
"I didn't know you had your mother's disease." Kakuzu growled with a pained voice, "Why didn't you tell me?"  
"There's a lot of things you don't know about me yet Dad, remember, I'm still trying to get used to all this. Give me a chance to warm up to the idea of living with a bunch of guys I don't know, okay?" Kora said lightly.  
Kakuzu nodded, "Sit down, and I'll make you some apple cider and something to eat."  
"Just the cider please, I'm not really hungry."  
"You should eat Kora."  
"Please Dad, I really don't want to go puking my guts out."  
Kakuzu finally resolved to do as she said. After all no good comes of arguing with a female who doesn't feel good.  
Kakuzu set about making the drink for her, and the boys began telling her how worried they were and that they hoped she was okay.


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12  
Hidan at that moment entered, and Sasori eyed the bag, "What's in the bag?"  
"None of your damn business." He growled but stopped short from saying anything else when he saw Koratani and he ran upstairs.  
"What was that all about?" Deidara asked.  
"He seemed a little nervous, or embarrassed." Zetsu commented.  
"So how did you guys finally help her break her fever?" Pein asked.  
"A miracle." Kakuzu simply stated.  
Pein raised one of his pierced eyebrows but shrugged off the comment, despite being curious as to what exactly that meant.  
Koratani looked at the second floor where Hidan was now. She turned her eyes back to the table when Kakuzu gave her, her hot apple cider. Koratani sipped it and Tobi exclaimed, "Kora! Kora! Do you want to watch a movie with me?" He asked excitedly. "Moron, leave her alone." Deidara growled.  
"But Deidara! She has to rest doesn't she? She can rest by watching a movie with me, can't she!?" Tobi pouted.  
"He's got a point." Itachi nodded.  
Kora smiled, "That's sounds great, I'd love to watch a movie with you Tobi."  
Tobi clapped his hands and jumped around happily.

Hidan looked at the box he had bought, scowling at it with embarrassment. He then threw it at the wall. Truth be told, he was scared to death and angry. One, she had almost died. Two, he felt like a disgusting hero. Sure he saved her, but he had to take advantage of her to do so. It wasn't rape because he had been gentle, he reasoned with himself, but still it wasn't enough for him. Three, what if he did impregnate her? Then she'd have a baby and he, himself would be a…a father. The very idea of him being responsible for a child was terrifying to him. And four, the others would be pissed at him because they weren't able to fight for her, and even if he tried to take responsibility, what if Kakuzu didn't allow him to take care of Kora? He turned to his locked door wanting to go down and apologize to Kora and ask for her forgiveness, but his pride was already wounded from the fear he had pounded into himself. So instead he turned on and cranked up his stereo, and let himself be swept away by the heavy rock music.

"Heh, he either got up on the wrong side of the bed or someone pissed him off while he was out." Kisame chuckled.  
"He only listens to his music if he's angry?" Kora asked.  
"Hidan's always angry, so he always listens to his music. With Hidan, there's three levels of anger that goes with his music, if he's a little upset, he listens to his music with earphones on. If he's really angry he turns on his stereo really loud. But if he's on the warpath, he turns on the music full volume and starts singing to it." Itachi informed her.  
Suddenly the music started booming from upstairs and Three Days Grace's 'I Hate Everything About You' resonated throughout the house, and Hidan's deep voice sang in an angry tone, the lyrics to the song.  
"And he went from level two to level three." Itachi sighed, "Who's going to try and calm down this time?"  
When no one was forth coming Itachi sighed, "Fine, I'll go see to it."

Itachi headed upstairs and banged on Hidan's door.  
"GO THE FUCK AWAY!" Hidan screamed ignoring his song for a moment.  
"Hidan…the door." Itachi's voice may be not as loud as the others, but his voice was the type that no loudness could overwhelm. The door opened and Itachi opened the door and shut it behind him. Hidan was red in the face and he refused to look at Itachi. He just continued to sing.  
Itachi lowered the volume a little bit and Hidan snarled, "DON'T TOUCH MY FUCKING CRAP ITACHI!"  
"Sit." Itachi ordered.  
Hidan towered over Itachi by several inches, but Itachi was too intimidating to let the younger man bother him.  
Knowing Itachi wasn't going to give up and leave, Hidan did as he was told, flopping onto his couch.  
Itachi took a seat as well, "What's going on Hidan?"  
Hidan got up and grabbed the bag and tossed the item from hand to hand in a minute before he said, with his back to Itachi, "Don't be angry, there was no other choice."  
"Go on."  
Hidan sighed, "If she didn't get some massive heat fast she would've died. I got a little careless and my mind…wandered…I…here." He tossed the bag over his shoulder and Itachi grabbed the bag and looked inside. His eyes widened for a moment and then looked at Hidan's back, "I see. Let me guess, you're scared everyone's going to hate you even more, since everyone has a little fondness for her, and you're the one who deflowered her."  
Hidan nodded.  
"Is it also safe to assume you're worried about becoming a father, or more importantly what Kakuzu's going to say?"  
Hidan nodded again.  
"Well, you were a little careless, but that happens during sex, you lose all sense of self."  
"Kakuzu gave me permission to have sex with her but…"  
"Not to impregnate her, right?"  
Hidan sighed in agreement.  
"Look Hidan, we all care about Kora, but the important thing is that she's alive. Sure we'll be a little upset, but we'll have to get over it because what's done is done, and there's nothing we can do about it but take extra care in case she does turn out to be. But she has to know what happened."  
"NO!" Hidan rounded, his eyes wide with fear before he settled down, "No, not yet. Let her recover first, then I'll tell her. We don't want her getting sick from stress so soon after this whole fucking deal."  
"You know Hidan, I think that's the wisest thing I've ever heard you say."  
Hidan rolled his eyes, "I hate you Itachi."


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
"The feeling's mutual." Itachi agreed with a light smirk.  
Hidan smirked and after a moment asked, "So, you not mad about all this?"  
"Oh I'm pissed, I really like Koratani myself. But, the difference is, one, I don't show it, and two, I know why you did it. It helps that it was more of a selfless reason over anything else. But if the others knew the, what and why, I'm sure they'd understand. If you tell them sooner rather than later, I don't think it will be quite as bad for you." Itachi said.  
"Oh that makes me feel SOOO damn better!" Hidan said sarcastically, his eyes rolled and he cuffed Itachi in the shoulder.  
"Well, I suppose I should leave you to your singing."  
"I think I'm done singing." Hidan grumbled.  
"Too bad, you have such a lovely voice." Itachi teased.  
"Jealous much, bitch?"  
"How did you know?"  
"Cause I'm the mother fuckin' man that's why."  
The two boys laughed.  
"I'll have to explain when Kora's not around." Hidan said.  
"I'm sure I can get her away from the others long enough for you to do so. But we have to wait for a goodtime to do so." Itachi explained.  
Hidan nodded, "Yeah, maybe like in a few days."

Over the next few days, Hidan bided his time with other things as he waited anxiously to get his speech out and over with. Itachi blatantly refused to help Hidan find a way to word the talk carefully, saying it would sound more sincere coming from himself, than it would if he helped Hidan.  
With Tobi/Madara and Pein, so many little obstacles, like jobs and intervening people, kept them apart from getting to talk to each other but what Pein had read of Koratani's past.  
Finally a day came where Koratani had to get a school uniform as it was nearing September 15th, the first day of school. But you had to buy the it at a certain clothing store that sold only clothes for the biggest private and boarding schools in the area. So Koratani hopped in the car with Itachi and they left to the mall.  
At the same time they were leaving, Hidan was calling a meeting. He stood before them for a few minutes, and finally said, "Alright bitches, here's the fucking deal, if you don't like it, then go kick Itachi's ass since he told me to tell you. Anyways, the night we all fuckin' thought that we were going to lose Koratani, was obviously a very stressful fucking day, right?"  
The others nodded wondering where the hell this was going to go.  
"Good, so all you shitheads were asleep and only Kakuzu and I were awake. She was barely hanging in there, but because I'm a smart fucking person I realized something. What's the best way to produce heat?" It was rhetorical, but the faces of everyone was either shocked or angry, except for Kakuzu and Tobi. Tobi was waving his hand like a little school boy in class.  
Hidan sighed, "What Tobi?"  
"Dancing! I always get really hot when I'm playing DDR, Dance Central or Just Dance with Sasori and Deidara!"  
Hidan blew at a loose strand of hair, "Good boy. You're a smart little fucker. Anyways, with Kakuzu's permission I carefully danced with Koratani."  
Beneath his mask Madara was furious, he cared about Koratani deeply. But thankfully Deidara voiced his opinion that pretty much summed up what he was feeling.  
"YOU DANCED WITH HER!? OH MY GAWD HIDAN! SHE'S ONLY FIFTEEN! THERE SHOULD'VE BEEN ANOTHER WAY!?" Deidara rounded on Kakuzu almost in tears, "HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!?"  
Madara was surprised to see that Deidara also seemed to be quite taken with her, he wondered who else would be wrapped around her finger before school started.  
"It was the only way Deidara. Trust me, if anyone else was awake and had the energy, I would've let them do it. But I would've rather let the one person I don't like, dance with her, than let my only child, the only blood relative I have left, die. I couldn't be there to save my Akiko, don't be angry that I wanted my daughter to live." Kakuzu growled.  
Deidara turned away defiantly, this couldn't be true, he opened the door, and Hidan said, "Stop."  
Deidara turned to him, "What!? What the hell do you want Hidan, I really liked Kora, then you go and…and…dance with her." He snarled.  
Tobi looked at Zetsu, "Is dancing bad?"  
Zetsu sighed, "Certain dances are." He said and patted Tobi's shoulder.  
"There…there's more." Hidan said standing a little straighter; his serious face was cracked a bit with the fear that touched his eyes.  
Everyone turned to him, and Kakuzu looked suspicious, and Deidara was seething, "What else!? What did you do?"  
Hidan gulped lightly taking a deep breath, "I was so worried about helping her, that…I-I forgot to…" He looked at Tobi for a split second before saying, "I forgot to ask her if she liked lullabies, and so I sang 'Hush Little Baby' to her."  
Deidara's face was beet red with raging anger and he swiftly landed a hard punch to Hidan, getting him in the sternum. Hidan coughed and spewed blood a bit and laid on the floor coughing and wheezing trying to get his air back, Kisame ran to him, and checked him out and glared at Deidara, "What the fuck man, you know people can die if you get them in the sternum!"  
"If the fucking stork comes, I swear I will kill him!" Deidara snarled and left, slamming the door.  
"The stork!?" Tobi exclaimed happily but Madara was fuming with rage himself, but he knew better than to do anything that might cause suspicion. Pein's fist tightened. Sasori huffed massaging the bridge of his nose, "She's too young for this."  
Zetsu sighed, "Kisame, take Hidan to his room and I'll see what I can do to fix him up."


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
In a whole other world it seems, Koratani walked through the mall with Itachi. "So school starts up in a little more than a week…who else will be going to school with me?" Koratani questioned. Itachi chuckled, "Kakuzu is obviously too old, Pein's been out of school for a few years. Zetsu, Kisame, Hidan and I all graduated last year. Tobi's a senior, and Deidara and Sasori are our only juniors. So you'll have to deal with them in school." Itachi said.  
"Ah, okay." She said with a smile.  
For the entire afternoon she gave opinions on the outfits which were the colors black red and grey. She decided on having a red button down with a black blazer, a grey short pleated skirt and black boots. She chose a few similar outfits, and he treated her to lunch.  
As they were heading to Itachi's car in the parking lot, Koratani saw something and blinked. She could've sworn…but no…it couldn't have been. There was no way it could be. It couldn't be…but that split second caused her stomach to clench up. It looked like her childhood friend…It had to have been a look alike. There is no way it could be him. He was a part of a past she no longer wanted connections to. So she shook the thought out of her mind and left with Itachi.

Zetsu finished fixing Hidan up and returned downstairs, "Where's Sasori?"  
"Consoling his best friend." Pein said.  
"Deidara must really care about her." Zetsu muttered looking at the door.  
"You're a moron." Kisame grumbled.  
Zetsu turned to him, "Excuse me?"  
"You're the only one aside from HIdan who hasn't bonded with her. Actually of all of us, you're the furthest in distance from liking her."  
Zetsu sighed, "Look Kisame, I apologize if I have offended you, or the others. But I don't understand why you guys are so taken with her. She's just a child, besides, eventually she can only take one boy, what's the chances that she'll take me? Only 1:8."  
"Spend some time with her, and then tell us if she isn't worth trying to be her number one." Pein said.  
Zetsu was startled from being rebuked, "Fine, by I assure you nothing is going to happen."

Earlier…  
Deidara had stormed out of the house pissed beyond anything the others had ever seen. He kicked a rock, and shouted, "THIS IS BULLSHIT!"  
Sasori had followed right after, he watches Deidara sadly, "Dei…you wanna talk."  
The blonde turned and saw Sasori and instantly he started crying. He sat against a tree, "This is bullshit." Sasori sat next to him and hugged one of the two most sensitive members of the Akatsuki to his side, stroking the blonde's hair.  
"What's got you all worked up Dei, we all care about her." Sasori said in his charismatic soothing voice.  
"I-I think I love her."  
Sasori sighed, "You love to easily Dei, besides, just because Hidan did what he did, doesn't mean you don't have a shot at being her boyfriend, after all, it's going to be you, me and Tobi at school with her. And even though Tobi's older, he's naïve, so really it's only you and me. And…even though I really care about her too…I'll step down a bit, I can tell she means a lot to you, so don't worry, you have the biggest chance with her now."  
Deidara sniffled, "B-But that's not fair to you Sasori."  
Sasori shrugged, "You're my best friend Dei; I'd do anything for you."  
Deidara smiled lightly, "Thanks Sasori, you really are the best." He said wiping away his tears.  
The returned to the house and a few more hours later they were eating dinner, all except Kakuzu who was pacing the kitchen, "Where's Koratani?" He kept mumbling to himself.

Earlier…  
They were driving home; they had done a few more things like ice cream, lunch and a movie and such. The sun was beginning to set, and he was on the road, a black car with tinted windows was practically grazing Itachi's bumper.  
Itachi scowled and a few minutes later he shouted, "GET OFF MY TAIL BITCH!" He huffed angrily, but was relieved when the car relented a good bit, making Itachi go back to his normal self. But suddenly Itachi's car was rammed by the black car. Koratani screamed, "Itachi, drive! Drive!"

One thought ran through her mind. It's him. It's Orochimaru, he's coming to get me. He wants the answers. I hold the key to everything.  
"I KNOW!" Itachi shouted and put the pedal to the metal, "Why the hell is he trying to throw us off?!" He exclaimed as the black car kept backing off and ramming into the car.  
"I'll explain later, just go as fast as you can, lose him!" Kora ordered.  
Itachi didn't have to be told twice. A couple of times the car dangerously swerved, but the sped down a corner and then backed their car into a back alley and turned off the lights long enough for their pursuers to pass then they left, took an opposite direction and sped off.

Pein slipped upstairs, Madara didn't follow, and he still hadn't been able to talk to Pein. But he had a feeling time was running short.

Pein entered Koratani's room and grabbed her sketchbook and relooked through it, what was he overlooking? There had to be something! He researched again and sighed, nothing. He then noticed a teddy bear on her bed. He realized it was the same teddy bear she slept with when she was sick. But it was nothing, it was just a teddy bear. He strode over to it and handled it, the seams were perfect. It was as if they had never been touched there wouldn't be anything hidden within the seams, nothing at all. The teddy that would be of service to him; so defeated, he left the room the way it was, and headed downstairs.


End file.
